Best Practice Guidelines for the Production of Chilled Foods - Fourth Edition

Food business operators are legally responsible for the safety of their food products. In line with EU food hygiene legislation, the 2006 CFA 'Best Practice Guidelines for the Production of Chilled Foods' provide the fundamental principles for the design of safe manufacturing operations. They cover a wide range of chilled products of varying shelf lives, manufactured under different hygiene conditions.

The CFA Guidelines illustrate good practice to help the manufacturer demonstrate that hazards have been controlled and to document risks have been assessed. To aid food safety, a decision tree with case study examples helps to identify the minimum class of area hygiene standards required. Areas are also clearly highlighted that are either required by law or considered by CFA to ensure Food Safety.

The structure of the CFA Guidelines enables easy selection of the relevant information for the category of the products covered. Chilled foods can include both raw and heat-processed ingredients, which must be microbiologically safe on consumption, and pathogens that could result in illness need to be controlled.

The CFA Guidelines present comprehensive information and guidance including:
Main hazards

Control measures

HACCP systems

Shelf life assessment

Decision tree for minimum hygiene status

Regulatory requirements

Traceability

Product recall

Businesses must show that food is fit to eat: this requires following risk-based procedures using the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). The CFA Guidelines provide comprehensive information on HACCP including implementation and monitoring, verification and documentation.

The CFA Guidelines will also prove useful when working with local enforcement authorities to implement legal requirements at the production stage and may assist food business operators in complying with third party technical standards.